Extruded structural member



Nov. 7, 1961 J. T. MILLER 8 EXTRUDED STRUCTURAL MEMBER Filed July 21,1958 2e /7 IO 54 36 22 FIG.2

L, I INVENTOR. 5 JAMES 1'.- muss:

ATTORN EYS United States Patent 3,007,558 EXTRUDED STRUCTURALMEMBERJames T. Miller, Reed City, Mich., assignor to Miller Industries, Inc.,Reed City, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Filed July 21, 1958, Ser.No. 749,967 4 Claims. (Cl. 189-34) This invention relates to structuralmembers in general, and more particularly to their construction.

Structural members are known in. numerous shapes, sizes, and forms asadapted to suit the requirements of a particular structure. However,there are certain structural shapes that are more commonly known thanothers and which have come to be known as distinct in themselvm. Theseinclude the tubular form, the channel section, and the I-beam, tomention a few.

'It is an object of this invention to disclosea new and differentstructural member which is considered to have such application as willcause it to become known of itself. This form of structural memberincludes the advantages of several of the difiierent commonly knownstructural forms. v

The structural member of this invention is preferably formed fromlightweight metals by the extrusion process. Accordingly, it is simpleto make and is light in weight. This makes it less expensive and easierto use.

The structural member of this invention is preferably made in longlengths and of a material which can be readily cut. This enables amanufacturer to run olf standardized stock lengths of the structuralmember and permits the fabricator to cut the standard lengths to moreexact size at the site of use. t

The structural member is tubular in shape which of itself assuresconsiderable strength and rigidity. An open side face is provided and isdefined by partial wall flangm to more fully maintain the basicrectangular cross sec- 3' tion of the structural member. Inner side Wallflanges are provided to divide the box sectioned form of the structuralmember into different structural forms, for added strength and rigidity,and to supplant-any deficiency in having an open side face. These sameflanges include means of cooperative engagement with another structuralmember. Such other structural member has parts received within the openface of the form described and which form semi-closed tubular sectionswith the flange and partial walls.

One particular use for the structural member of this invention is in theframing of a curtain wall for a building. Such a use is described in mycopending patent application Serial Number 710,763, filed January 23,1958, and titled Frame and Curtain Wall Construction.

In the dravw'ngs:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a length of the extruded structuralmember of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the structural member ofthis invention.

FIG. 3 is a smaller cross sectional view of the structural member havinganother structural member shown in phantom, as disposed for engagementtherewith.

The structural member 10 is formed from a lightweight metal, such asaluminum. The structural member is preferably formed by the extrusionprocess.

The structural member 10 includes a back Wall side 12, side walls 14 and16, and partial walls '18 and 20 which define the open front facethereof. The partial walls 18 and 20 are spaced to provide the frontface opening 22.

The basic cross sectional shape of the structural member is tubular inform; having front, back and side walls, as mentioned. The tubular formis rectangular, though 3,007,558 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 ice 2 it may besquare. In any event it is preferably of a semi-closed box section form.7

Side wall flanges 24 and 26 extend inwardly from the side wall parts 14and 16. These flanges are aligned with each other, extendthe full lengthof the structural member, and are disposed in parallel spaced relationto the partial front walls 18 and Z0, and just rearwardly thereof. Theside wall flanges 24 and 26, while extended towards each other, arepreferably not engaged together. The close proximity of their terminalends however, does provide the structural member 10 with an internalsemi-closed area 28 which is bounded by the back wall 12, side walls 14and 16, and the side wall flanges 24 and 26. The side wall flanges alsoform internal channel section areas 30 and 32 with the partial walls 18and 20.

Transversely disposed rib flanges 34 and 36 are formed at the terminalends of the side wall flanges 24 and 26. These rib flanges extendtowards the opening .22 and normal to the partial walls 18 and 20 whichdefine such opening.

Detent ribs 38 and 40 are formed on the outer side faces of the ribflanges 34 and 36. Such detent ribs face the side walls 14 and 16,respectively.

The ends of the flanges 24 and 26, with the rib flanges 34 and 36, andthe detent ribs 38 and 40, are exposed through the. side wall opening22. The rib flanges and their detent ribs form a partial closure wallfor the channel section areas 30 and 32.

The plane of the detent ribs 38 and 40 is spaced sufl'iciently from theplane of the terminal ends of partial walls 18 and 20 to permit theengagement of parts of another structural member therewith through theside wall opening 22.

A suitable other structural member 50 is shown in phantom outline, byFIG. 3, as disposed for cooperativeengagement with the structural memberlll. The structural member 50 includes extended arms 52 and 54 which arereceived through the side face opening 22, and between the terminal endsof partial walls 18 and 20 and the detent ribs 38 and 40. The ends ofthe arms 52 and 54 of the other structural member 50 are formed forintercooperative snap-on engagement with the detent ribs 38 and 40, andhave their terminal ends abutting the side wall flanges 24 and 26.

It will be noted that the extended arms 52 and 54 of the structuralmember 50 will serve to further close the channel areas 30 and 32 of mystructural member 10, thereby providing a still more solid structuralmember in use.

It will also be noted that the side wall flanges 24 and 26, extending asthey do out from the side walls 14 and 16, have a certain amount ofresilience which permits some relative flexing of the detent ribs 38 and40 for greater ease in the snap-on engagement thereof with othermembers. This aspect of the structure dis closed may be taken advantageof, or may be repressed, by having the side wall flanges formed thickeror less thick as desired.

The structural member 10 thus includes an outer semitubular shapeprovided by external walls 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20. It has an internalsemi-closed tubular, or box sectioned area, 2 8 as well as thesemi-closed channel areas 30 and 32. The latter are near the open sideface of the structural member and strengthen the sides of the opening 22as well as the whole structure. The side wall flanges 24 and 26 serve topartially form the semi-closed areas 28, 30 and 32, and may be laterallyflexible for purposes of greater ease of snap-on engagement with otherstructural members.

The structural member of this invention has the flanges 24 and 26, ribflanges 34 and 36, and detent ribs 38 and 3 40, extended throughout thelength thereof. Accordingly a short or an elongated length of thestructural member may be readily obtained by cutting such member to thesize required.

Iclaim:

1. A structural member, comprising; an extruded tubular member having arectangular cross section; said tubular member having an open side facedefined by partial side face walls; inwardly projecting flanges formedfrom opposite side walls of said member and aligned thereacross; saidflanges being disposed in spaced parallel relation to said open sideface and terminating short of engagement with each other inwardly ofsaid partial side face walls; said flanges forming a partially closedtubular cross section with the back side wall of said member and channelsection areas with said partial side face walls; transversely disposedn'b flanges formed at the terminal edge of said inwardly projectingflanges; said rib flanges extending towards said open side face; and adetent rib formed on the outer side face of said rib flanges forintercooperative engagement with parts of another structural member;said detent ribs being accessible between said partial side face wallsand said rib flanges, and said inwardly projecting flanges providing fortravel limiting engagement with another structural member receivedbetween said partial side face walls and rib flanges.

2. A structural member, comprising; an extruded member of rectangularcross-section having one side inclusive of partial side face wallsforming an opening therebetween, relatively aligned inwardly projectingwall flanges formed from opposite side walls of said extruded member insubstantially parallel spaced relation behind said partial side facewalls, said wall flanges projecting closer together than said side facewalls and being accessible through said opening, and rib flanges formedon said wall flanges and extended towards said opening for receivingparallel spaced legs of another structural member between the inwardlydisposed edges of said partial side face walls and said rib flangw, andsaid inwardly projecting flanges providing for travel limitingengagement with another structural member received between said partialside face walls and rib flanges.

3. A structural member, comprising; an extruded member of rectangularcross-section having one side inclusive of partial side face wallsforming an opening therebetween, relatively aligned inwardly projectingwall flanges formed from opposite side walls of said extruded member insubstantially parallel spaced relation behind said partial side facewalls, said wall flangw projecting closer together than said side facewalls and being accessible through said opening, rib flanges formed onsaid wall flanges and extended towards said opening, the outer sides ofsaid rib flanges being accessible through said opening, and detent meansformed on the outer sides of said rib flanges for engaging and retainingparallel spaced legs of another structural member as received throughsaid opening between said partial side walls and into travel limitingengagement with said wall flanges, and said inwardly projecting flangesproviding for travel limiting engagement with another structural memberreceived between said partial side face walls and rib flanges.

4. A structural member, comprising; an elongated tubular member having arectangular cross section, said tubular member having an open side face,partial side face Walls defining said open side face, inwardlyprojecting flanges formed from opposite side walls of said tubularmember behind said open side face and parallel thereto, said flangesextending further across said opening than said partial side walls todefine a partially closed tubular area with the back side wall thereofand for travel limiting engagement with another structural memberreceived through said opening, and the terminal edges of said inwardlyprojecting flanges having rib flanges extending toward said open sideface with retainer elements facing outwardly providing for retainingengagement with a structural member received between said side facewalls and retainer elements in such travel limited engagement with saidflanges;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,866,527 Schilling Dec. 30, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 281,053 SwitzerlandJune 3, 1952 520,859 Canada Jan. 17, 1956

